The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Light From My Menorah: Celebrating Holidays Around The World by Robin Heald, illustrated by Andrea Blinick Pajama Press, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland Buy at Bookshop.org As a young boy gazes at the light from his Hanukkah menorah, he embarks on a fantastical journey following its light around the world. Robin Heald’s beautiful, lyrical language describes fall/winter celebrations among different peoples, each centered on light. It’s a story of what connects us despite our differences. It encourages curiosity about different beliefs, different languages, and different customs. Along with the child in the story, the reader is shown the miracle and the universality of light.   The book opens and closes with the child joyfully celebrating Hanukkah with his family. There are no signs that the family is Orthodox, but the Hanukkah scenes are authentic with dreidels and sufganiyot. This book would certainly be shelved with Hanukkah books, but there are images f

Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights: A Hanukkah Story by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt Doubleday Books for Young Readers (imprint of Knopf), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Greer Buy at Bookshop.org A joyous introduction to Hannukah for young children. This delightful story follows a family consisting of a mother, father, son, and daughter celebrating the Festival of Lights together. They visit extended family, cook and eat latkes and sufganiyot, light traditional candles, play dreidel games, and open presents. Each page includes a small caption explaining traditions and words that may not be familiar. At the end of the book, the complete Hanukkah story is told in an age-appropriate way along with information on what the word means and why it’s spelled in various ways. Also included is an overview of how and why Hanukkah is celebrated, discussing the many traditions depicted in the story. The parents and children are illustrated in a variety o

The Judgement of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum Philomel Books (imprint of Penguin Books), 2024 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Amy Blaine Buy at Bookshop.org Have you ever read The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathanial Hawthorne? This short story came immediately to mind as I read Isaac Blum’s glowing second novel, The Judgement of Yoyo Gold . Stick with me here. In Hawthorne's story, a minister begins to wear a black veil for reasons unknown to his parishioners. Understandably, they get a little bit freaked out and suddenly it is assumed that everyone is hiding secrets and lies, changing behaviors and leading to harmful assumptions. The conclusion is “Lo, on every visage! A black veil.” Fast forward. Some time and distance from Puritanical New England, Yocheved “Yoyo” Gold is coming of age as both the daughter of a rabbi and of the age of technology. She feels that her whole life is a halacha lesson - “surplus halacha”. So when her best friend suddenly leaves for a boarding school in Las

Hanukkah Pajamakkahs by Dara Henry, illustrated by Olga & Aleksey Ivanov Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Linda Elovitz Marshall Buy at Bookshop.org Hanukkah Pajamakkahs , with its adorably cute illustrations, is the story of Ruthie, who is delighted to receive Hanukkah-themed pajamas - “Pajamakkahs” – on the first night of Hanukkah. Ruthie wants to wear them for all eight nights of the holiday, but her parents want her to keep them “spotless” for the forthcoming Hanukkah party. Antics ensue as Ruthie (who has promised to keep them spotless) makes latkes – and gets streaks (but not spots) on her pajamakkahs, candle drippings (but not spots) on her pajamakkahs, strips of tape, sticky sufganiyot, sparkles, and squishes (but not spots) on her pajamakkahs. After all, if the oil in the Hanukkah story could last eight nights, certainly Ruthie’s pajamakkahs can, too. This rousing tale is hilariously illustrated with bright, bold colors depicting the adventur

The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb Levine Querido, 2024 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Beth Gallego Buy at Bookshop.org Lamb’s sophomore novel (after 2023 Sydney Taylor Award-winner When the Angels Left the Old Country) is a fascinating dive into Jewish mythology and life in the Pale of Settlement. Sorel Kalmans, daughter of a well-to-do lumber merchant, is seventeen and engaged to the eldest son of the Esroger Rebbe. The marriage is meant to unite the local Jews, both Hasidic and Maskilic. The night before the wedding, Sorel makes an impulsive decision to run away instead. She disguises herself as a young man and gives her name as Isser Jacobs. But there is a real Isser Jacobs, and he is in serious trouble with some very dangerous people. In addition to escaping her own life, Sorel also must solve the mystery of what has happened to Isser and why. Sorel has led a sheltered life, protected by her father’s wealth and power. Her education has not prepared her for the reality of life in Es

Golemcrafters by Emi Watanabe Cohen Levine Querido, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Heather Matthews Buy at Bookshop.org Faye and her older brother, Shiloh, are straddling two cultures at once. Patrilineal European Jews with a Japanese American mother, the siblings struggle to feel that they belong anywhere. Faye doesn’t feel that she belongs in the Asian Student Association or the Jewish Student Association, and both she and her brother face regular antisemitic bullying. However, through the gift of clay sent by their Zeyde, Faye and Shiloh end up spending their spring break in New York City, learning the skill of crafting golems. Over the week with Zeyde, Faye discovers her own powers and abilities, as well as the indominable spirit of her ancestors. Ultimately, Golemcrafters is a story about generational trauma, but more importantly, a story about generational strength.    Faye and Shiloh interact with multiple instances of historic and contemporary antisemitism. These interac